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Davidson Detour

Started by troutphisher, March 18, 2007, 10:21:02 AM

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troutphisher

I had planned on fishing the Shining rock wilderness area on Saturday and was looking forward to the trip. I was anticipating casting to wild brook trout, on a secluded stream. I started off, leaving home at 6:00am. This would give me enough time to hike into the area I wanted to fish. When I got up to the parkway it was closed in the direction I planned to travel. They had the gate closed. I should have studied the forecast. The tops of the mountains were covered in snow, and the road had clear ice patches on the surface. The temperature in the car said 21 deg, and the wind was howling. I thought about leaving the car at the gate and hiking in from there, but the wind and temperature cleared that thought.

I headed back down the mountain, deciding to fish the Davidson instead.
I fished between coon tree and looking glass creek. Down at this elevation the temperature was bearable, about 28 deg when I started at 8:00am.
The wind was up, and the sun was out. The water was very clear considering the recent rains. The water temp was 44 degs on the surface.

I was hoping to catch a quill Gordon hatch, and was looking forward to fishing some runs and tail out sections of the riffles. I started the day with a #16 ptn, fishing just outside the seams, where the water was slower than the main current. The fish were taking the fly, but it was very subtle. I missed the first few, until I could get the feel of the line dialed in. They were very light soft takes.

I caught several small rainbows and one small brown. I decided to move down stream and fish another area I knew well. This area has a good feeding lane and good current for drifting dry's.

At about 1:00PM I saw a light hatch coming off but it was sporadic at best, and no fish were rising. I continued to fish the PTN and switched to a hares ear later on.

About 4:00PM I arrived at a spot I wanted to fish, the current was perfect for drifting dry's. I tied on #16 Quill Gordon (moose mane body) and fished the fly hard, getting good long slow drifts. Nothing, no rises. I moved down to a spot where the bank was steep with a slight undercut. I studied the current looking at some debree floating in it. I cast up against the bank were some roots were over hanging hoping to lure out a fish.

On the fourth cast, I watched a fish come up and sip the fly, I paused the hook set, waiting until the fly was under. The fight was on. I could feel the power of this fish immediately. It made a run for the main current, and the drag was winding. I knew this was a good size fish from the bend in the rod, and I could feel it's power. I palmed the reel hoping to slow it down some. I had a 9ft 6x leader on and about 2ft of 6x tippet, so I didn't want to horse the fish in.

It made three good runs and the double click reel was screaming. I tried to get the fish out of the main current and into some slower water, where I could fight it on my terms. As I was fighting this fish, another fisherman was walking down the trail and stopped to watch. He asked if I need assistance and offered to net the fish. I told him thanks but I wanted a shot at landing him first.

I Finlay got the fish in the current I wanted and was making ground on it.
I brought it to the net, and slipped him in head first. It was a 20+ brown, with deep colors and a big jaw. I forgot to bring the camera on this trip, and was lucky the guy who stopped by had one. We took some quick pics of the fish, then I placed it back into the current head first, and slowly moved the fish forward and backward. It only took a couple of motions in the current and the fish slapped its tail spraying me with water and  bolted up stream.

It was a cold and rough day, but what a way to end it.
I gave the guy my email address, and he send he would send the pics.
We talked a while after releasing the fish. We laughed at each other for being crazy enough to fish in weather like this, but we both knew, we had to fish no matter what the weather was.

I'll post pic of the fish, when I get the photo's.
The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane.

Trout Chaser

Nice way to end the day. :) Looking forward to the picture.

TC

troutjedi


Woolly Bugger

sweet! the power of the internet! too bad you didn't catch it where nobody could see it!
ex - I'm not going to live with you through one more fishing season!
me -There's a season?

Pastor explains icons to my son: you know like the fish symbol on the back of cars.
My son: My dad has two fish on his car and they're both trout!

troutphisher

Wool, thats where I was headed, but the cold and wind put me off the hike.
I was dam tempted and though about it.

Next week, I will be in such an area  0--0
The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane.

phg

There are some big boys hiding in the deeper holes on the D, they just don't come out often to play.  Nice urn. 0--0

By the way, was that moose quill light or dark?

troutphisher

Paul,
It was dark, the actual fly I used was the one posted in the archives.
I have tied several of these fies, and try to get moose main in the dark to dark tan color. I save the light or white color's for midge type patterns.
The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane.

Trout Chaser

 0--0  Very nice.  0--0 I miss fishing the D Hopefully I'll get back down there sometime this year.

TC

moodytrout

Hey Troutphisher you still could have fished S.R. by passing under the park way and going down the mountain. Park at the first pull over on the left, this is East Fork trail. A very short hike would have you on the water. This far down the river you will find small Bows most of the time but about a mile and a half up stream you will start to find more and more Brookies. Lots of water to explore with feeder streams to check out as well. This area gets lots of hikers in the summer months and the camp sites prove it with some trash to haul out, but I still love it and fish - camp it every chance I get.
tight lines
Clarence
Moodytrout